Reviews I should have covered last chapter but forgot to.

Wacko12: Crazy frog in the house...sorry I know that song...and your pic. Anyways, I can't say much, but Naruto will pair with Hinata soon. The second question...quite literally did you even read the chapters before chapter 12. He uses Fuuton techniques then.

(Guest) Strange Guy: I can't say much, but she will change by Shippuden, know that.

rebecca. .902: Thank you because I had no idea what that was. Guys, thank her for making me keep the underline thing, THANK HER.

Link0011: Read story, skip NaruHina parts.

BentShuriken: That joke was so lame...yet it made me laugh. Good job.

Krazyfanfiction1: I think it's hot because it's poisonous not because it generates heat, but I've never really been clear on that. I'll check it up. Also, that seems like such a blatant laugh of using Kurama's powers that I might use it just for comedy. And possibly. M rated doesn't really mean much as most people put it there for safety, then again sometimes it's well deserved like in Introverted by Shadenight123 or Amenaza by Alban55. I'm promoting other authors again aren't I?

Last Chapter Reviews

(Guest) FoxFan: About the Haku and Zabuza thing I won't reveal much but you will be disappointed, slightly.

BentShuriken: Pain doesn't register, but if it did...phantom pain phantom pain phantom pain!

I Own Nothing Yet

On with the chapter

Apologize! The Seeds of Courage!

Naruto sat on the water with his palms in front of him, gathering his chakra. He continued to do this until he felt satisfied with the chakra buildup.

'Now!' Naruto though as he flowed through handseals. "Fuuton: Reppusho (Wind Release: Gale Palm)!"

Shuriken flew from behind Naruto, courtesy of a clone as wind shot from Naruto's palms. It impacted with the shuriken and speed up their launching speed before it slammed into a tree.

"Three and a half seconds. Better, but not good enough, we need to reach two seconds at the least. Being fifteen feet away and the combination attack taking three and a half seconds is too long." Naruto grumbled, however he was joined by another presence before he noticed it.

"That seems like a pretty decent time to me," Kakashi said, looking at Naruto.

Naruto looked up at Kakashi, not at all surprised he was here.

"I thought you would be here," Kakashi said.

"That's cliché," Naruto said.

Kakashi just laughed as Sakura and Sasuke walked from behind trees.

"That I wasn't expecting," Naruto said curiously.

Kakashi just laughed. "I think they have something to say."

Naruto looked into Kakashi's eyes and realized what he meant before he looked at the two. They were about to begin, however Naruto cut them off.

"If you're going to apologize to me about how you acted just because you heard my life story don't apologize at all. Also, if you're going to apologize for not talking to me or interacting me as a child because the adults told you not to don't, I don't blame you for that."

The two nodded before they opened their mouths again. "We apologize," they said, although it was obvious Sasuke had a much harder time saying it than Sakura did. Naruto could accept that though, knowing how the boy was.

"We shouldn't have treated you like you were a monster, especially after how long we had been training together. You were there for us on every occasion, yet when whatever that…thing…was that possessed you took over we abandoned all reasonable thought. We admit that we thought you were a monster…no a demon…but we also realize the stupidity of our actions," Sakura said.

Sasuke began to talk next, although his seemed much more forced. Naruto could tell it was sincere, but the boy's pride was still a strong aspect in his personality.

"Drawing a kunai on you was a dumb thought. I don't know what I was thinking. You were the first person, and this stays between us, I could honestly consider a friend. You made me rethink my ways, and while I still don't know which one to pick, you gave me other alternatives. You proved to be a rival for me to test my strength again and someone to push me to grow stronger, besides him. You were the first person to care about me as me, Sasuke, not the last Uchiha. And I forgot all of that when the incident happened. For that I am sorry."

Naruto looked at Sasuke with warmth in his eyes. Hearing that from the boy, it was heartwarming, although it also provided much teasing material. Naruto nodded at Sasuke. He then turned to Sakura. She sighed and began again.

"I have a lot more to apologize for, dating back before the incident even happened. Specifically, for the way I always rejected you. At first I didn't like you and no offense Naruto but I still don't, but the way I said it diffidently could have been softer. I bombarded you with degrading insults, yet you always came back, as if they didn't bother you, when I could tell they did. However, that didn't stop me then, in fact, you coming back irritated me and I started to reject you physically, hoping you'd stop, and eventually you did, but I had pushed you away to the point where I doubted we could ever be friends. However, you still welcomed me, and we did become friends. Then when the incident happened, I…I didn't know what to think. After what my mother and father had told me about you and what you did…it seemed to connect, but I realize I was wrong. You're not anything like what my mother and father said you were like. You were kind, happy-go-lucky, sneaky and childish admittedly, but also intelligent when you wanted to be. More importantly you wouldn't do what you did to those two people. You're better than that. You care about life, and you don't want to see people die. You're a caring person who understands what others want of him, and wants to protect all the people he can. Calling you a demon and a monster was uncalled for, no, completely out of line and I do apologize for that. I also shouldn't have tried to act like I had the right to tell you what to do after you had gone through so much. For that I am sorry." Sakura bowed to Naruto as she finished.

Naruto looked at Sakura with a mixture of emotions in his eyes. While he did forgive Sasuke, he wasn't sure about Sakura. Sasuke hadn't caused him nearly as much emotional pain, or physical pain, as she had. Plus, she kept overstepping her bounds when it came to him, acting as if she was the boss of his life. She had rejected his care for her multiple times, often violently, and yet even with all of that he still felt something for her too. It wasn't love, nor was it a crush, more like…companionship? Or was it caring? He didn't know, he only knew that even after all of the things she had done to deserve it, despite all of the things she had earned from him he couldn't hate her. He didn't forgive her like he did Sasuke, but he didn't hate her as he had sworn he wanted to.

"What are you doing boy," he heard the familiar voice of Kyuubi rumble in his mind.

Naruto's eyes widened for a quick second before they returned to their original size.

'What do you want,' Naruto growled.

"This girl wronged you in so many ways, yet you are willing to forgive her! That is unacceptable. You are a being, a creature of hate. You were born from the very essence of it. Do you forget the way she treated you, the way your village treated you as a child? Have you forgotten about your hate?"

'…No…I haven't. I do hate people in the village…I do hate many people in the village…but…but hate isn't the correct answer. I don't have to like them, but hate…hate only brings pain.' Naruto thought back to the Kyuubi.

The Kyuubi roared, although Naruto cut off his mental connection to it, although he was unsure how he did so. He was even more unsure about how the Kyuubi spoke with him. If it could do so then couldn't it do so whenever it wanted? That could be lethal, especially if the Kyuubi wanted to kill him. All it need do is wait for the right moment to interrupt him. However, he was snapped out of his thoughts as Sakura wave her hand in front of his face.

"You never answered me or Sasuke-kun, Naruto," She said. "You've just been standing there with a starry-eyed look in your eyes."

Naruto blushed and nodded. "Yeah, don't worry about it you two."

The duo nodded. Sakura seemed much more cheerful that she had been forgiven while Sasuke seemed to have forgotten the thing happened, going back to the attitude he had before the mission even began. Kakashi smiled at his genin.

"Well now that that is done, let's get started on some training. Naruto, fight as many clones as you can summon on the water until you drop. Sasuke, I want you to continue to run up and down the trees, but instead of fifteen laps I want fifty in three hours, and then another fifty before we leave. Sakura, you do the same as Sasuke, only I want twenty-five laps."

"Hai sensei!"

XxX

Kakashi carried in three semi-conscious genin into Tazuna's house once again, a smile on his face. They had pushed hard today and after they ate their dinner they would probably be off to bed immediately.

Kakashi smiled and said, "I think we have hungry people." Tsunami came downstairs and looked at the genin. A kind smile spread along her face before she nodded and went into the kitchen, followed by Kakashi who decided to help her out.

After dinner, and Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura went to bed, Kakashi walked into Inari's room, looking at the crying boy.

"Mind if I sit here," Kakashi said, pointing to the spot next to Inari.

Inari nodded.

Kakashi sat down next to the boy who stared at the ground for a while. They sat there, in awkward silence until Inari decided to speak.

"Is what Naruto said true?"

Kakashi smiled at Inari finally deciding to talk about it. He would have talked to the boy last night, but he ran into his room crying and Kakashi knew that the boy needed his space, at least then. Now was a different time.

"Yes, although he probably sugar-coated it because you're a kid. In fact, he went through worse, I know, because I was one of the people who were ordered to protect him from the mobs, although I didn't always make it in time."

"How could he go through that and still be who he is today," Inari asked. "How is he so strong?"

"He cried. Like you Naruto cried over his suffering, but eventually he stopped. He never cried again after he had that talk with the Hokage. I think…I think he got tired of feeling sorry for himself. He grew tired of crying over himself. Like he said, he never had a father, never had a mother, he was all alone in life. He had no family. Despite this though, he persevered and grew, never letting people get him down. This behavior, along with the people he met because of it, like the Hokage, Hinata, Sasuke, Sakura, and I, kept him from turning down a dark path. Trust me, you could see the signs he was beginning to take a darker road in life, but he dragged himself out of it with the help of others. The best person I know who knows what you're going through is Naruto. However, another person is Sasuke. He had family, a mother, a father, a brother, cousins, and more. Yet, he lost them one night. All of them were killed. Sasuke began to travel down that darker path, but Naruto actually pulled him from that path, and now Sasuke is stuck deciding whether to walk down an even darker path, or walk down the path Naruto did. To let go of his hatred and anger and learn to love and protect. I know neither of them may look it, but they understand what it takes to go through what you're going through Inari. It takes courage, but they didn't get theirs by it being handed to them. No they had to find it. Good luck Inari," Kakashi said, before leaving the kids room and going to sleep.

Inari staid awake for hours before going to sleep. He had made a decision.

Hey guys it's Kuma Akuma. I hope you guys liked this filler chapter before the finale. I hope I did good with it. Yep, next chapter, Haku and Zabuza vs Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke. You may wonder why I didn't incorporate Sakura in that, well that's because she will be playing the same role she did in the anime for this arc, standing around and doing nothing. Worry not Sakura fans, in the Chunin Exam arc she will do stuff. Lots of stuff. Hentai games...I'm sorry I just got watching a video on Youtube and it went from anime reviews to hentai...what the hell. Annnnnyyywwayyysssss...nope sorry I just lost my train of thought. See you guys later and avoid the Earl.